Virucidal disinfectant

ABSTRACT

Process for utilizing the disinfectant composition as a virucidal agent. The disinfectant composition includes:
         (a) an amine and/or quaternary ammonium salt of the general formula:       

     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
         
         
           
             
               
                 where R 1  is C 6-8 -alkyl, 
                 R 2  is benzyl or C 6-18 -alkyl, 
                 R 3  is C 1-18 -alkyl or —[(CH 2 ) 2 —O] n R 6  where n=1-20, 
                 R 4  and R 5  independently of one another are C 1-4 -alkyl, 
                 R 6  is hydrogen or unsubstituted or substituted phenyl, and 
                 A −  is a monovalent anion or one equivalent of a polyvalent anion of an inorganic or organic acid; and 
               
             
             (b) at least one alkanolamine of the general formula: 
           
         
       
    
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
         
         
           
             where n and, if present, m and o independently of one another have the value 2 or 3, and x and y independently of one another have the value 0 or 1, or a corresponding salt; 
             in the mass ratio of (a) to ( )b) of 20:1 to 1:20.

This application is a 371 national stage application of International(PCT) Application No. PCT/EP03/00378, filed on Jan. 16, 2003, that haspriority benefit of European Patent Application No. 02001329.8, filed onJan. 18, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/349,994, filed onJan. 23, 2002.

The invention relates to the use of synergistic disinfectantcompositions based on amines and/or quaternary ammonium salts asvirucidal agents, in particular against polioviruses.

Numerous disinfectant and preservative compositions based on aminesand/or quaternary ammonium salts are known. However, in general, inparticular at relatively high dilution, these exhibit an unsatisfactoryactivity towards fungi, for example Aspergillus niger and viruses (inparticular towards highly resistant viruses, for example polioviruses).

It was therefore an object of the present invention to providedisinfectant compositions based on amines and/or quaternary ammoniumsalts which exhibit good activity towards fungi and in particulartowards viruses even at high dilution.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the use accordingto Claim 1.

The earlier application PCT/EP 01/10754 (published as WO 02/23990 A1)describes disinfectant compositions based on amines and/or quaternaryammonium salts and alkanolamines and their fungicidal properties. It hasnow surprisingly been found that such disinfectant compositions alsodisplay pronounced virucidal properties and, in particular, also goodactivity towards highly resistant viruses such as polioviruses. They arelikewise active against other picornaviruses, for example ECHO virusesor corresponding animal pathogen viruses such as ECBO viruses, and alsoagainst parvoviruses, for example canine parvovirus.

The compositions comprise amines and/or quaternary ammonium salts of thegeneral formula

where R¹ is C₆₋₁₈-alkyl

-   -   R² is benzyl or C₆₋₁₈-alkyl    -   R³ is C₁₋₁₈-alkyl or —[(CH₂)₂—O]_(n)R⁶ where n=1-20    -   R⁴ and R⁵ independently of one another are C₁₋₄-alkyl    -   R⁶ is hydrogen or unsubstituted or substituted phenyl    -   and A⁻ is a monovalent anion or one equivalent of a polyvalent        anion of an inorganic or organic acid;    -   and at least one alkanolamine of the general formula

where n and, if present, m and o independently of one another have thevalue 2 or 3

-   -   and x and y independently of one another have the value 0 or 1,        or a corresponding salt; in the mass ratio I:II of 20:1 to 1:20.

Alkyl, here and hereinafter, is taken to mean in each case unbranched orbranched alkyl groups of the specified number of carbons, but preferablyunbranched alkyl groups, and particularly preferably those having aneven number of carbon atoms. In particular, this is also taken to meanthe homologue mixtures derived from natural raw materials, for example“cocoalkyl”.

Substituted phenyl is taken to mean, in particular, phenyl groupssubstituted with one or more C₁₋₁₈-alkyl groups and/or chlorine atoms.Suitable anions A⁻ are in principle all inorganic or organic anions, inparticular halide, for example chloride or bromide, or anions of lowcarboxylic acids, for example acetate, propionate or lactate.

The amine or quaternary ammonium salt (Ia/Ib) is preferablyN,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)dodecylamine, N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)octylamine, adidecyldimethylammoniurn salt, dioctyldimethylammonium salt,octyldecyldimethylammonium salt, dicocoalkyldimethylammonium salt,cocoalkyldimethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt,dicocoalkylmethyl-poly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt,decyldimethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt,didecylmethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt,octyidimethylpoly(oxy-ethyl)ammonium salt,dioctylmethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt,cocoalkytdimethylbenzylammonium salt, benzyldodecyidimethylammonium saltor benzyldimethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium salt or a mixture of two or moreof these compounds. Particularly good results were achieved withdidecyldimethylammonium salts.

Suitable alkanolamines (II) are in principle all ethanolamines andpropanolamines, in particular monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,triethanolamine and 3-amino-1-propanol. Obviously, using mixtures of thesaid compounds is also within the scope of the invention. Particularlygood results have been obtained using the compounds having a primaryamino group, that is to say using monoethanolamine and3-amino-1-propanol.

The mass ratio of amine (Ia) or quaternary ammonium salt (Ib) toalkanolamine (II) is preferably in the range from 1:5 to 5:1.

The disinfectant compositions used according to the invention preferablycomprise water as solvent, if appropriate in combination with an organicsolvent.

Preferably, the disinfectant compositions used according to theinvention further comprise one or more aids selected from the groupconsisting of organic solvents, surfactants, complexing agentsfragrances and colorants.

A preferred use of the disinfectant compositions is surface disinfectionand instrument disinfection.

Further preferred fields of use are laundry disinfection and handdisinfection.

A further preferred use of the disinfectant compositions is the use inchemical toilets, for example on board aircraft and vehicles.

The examples below illustrate the implementation of the invention, andshould not be taken to be a restriction to the embodiments described.All quantities given, where not otherwise specified, are in % by mass.The test microorganism used in each case was Aspergillus niger ATCC16404. The effectiveness was determined, unless otherwise specified,using the method specified in CEN 1275.

EXAMPLE 1

A disinfecting cleaner formulation (concentrate) was prepared from:

-   -   5.0% didecyldimethylammonium chloride (50% strength solution)    -   2.0% N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)dodecylamine    -   5.0% monoethanolamine    -   5.0% Genapol® 250 (tallow fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, 25 mol        of ethylene oxide)    -   0.5% sodium metasilicate    -   0.5% sodium carbonate    -   2.0% methylglycinediacetic acid trisodium salt (Trilon® M; 40%        strength solution)        -   water to 100%

The effectiveness was determined using a dilution (1 part ofconcentrate, 99 parts of water) at 20° C. and with a contact time of 15min. The logarithm to base ten of the reduction in microorganism countwas 4.1.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1

The procedure of Example 1 was followed, but with the difference thatthe monoethanolamine was replaced by the same amount of water. Under thesame test conditions, the formulation was virtually inactive.

EXAMPLE 2

A disinfectant formulation (concentrate) was prepared from:

-   -   4.9% N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)dodecylamine    -   4.0% monoethanolamine    -   2.0% Genapol® T250 (tallow fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, 25        mol of ethylene oxide)    -   5.0% Hostapur® SAS 30 (C₁₃₋₁₇ secondary n-alkanesulfonic acid,        sodium salt)    -   2.0% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt (40%        strength solution)    -   0.7% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid        -   water to 100%

The effectiveness was determined using a dilution (1 part ofconcentrate, 199 parts of water) at 20° C. and with a contact time of 15min. The logarithm to base ten of the reduction in microorganism countwas 4.3.

EXAMPLE 3

A disinfectant formulation (concentrate) was prepared from:

-   -   4.2% N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)dodecylamine    -   2.0% didecylmethylpoly(oxyethyl)ammonium propionate (BARDAP 26)    -   4.0% monoethanolamine    -   2.0% Genapol® T250 (tallow fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, 25        mol of ethylene oxide)    -   5.0% Hostapur® SAS 30 (C₁₃₋₁₇ secondary n-alkanesulfonic acid,        sodium salt)    -   2.0% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt (40%        strength solution)    -   0.7% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid    -   4.0% butyl diglycol        -   water to 100%

The effectiveness was determined using a dilution (1 part ofconcentrate, 199 parts of water) at 20° C. and with a contact time of 15min. The logarithm to base ten of the reduction in microorganism countwas >4.4. In addition, the effectiveness was also determined using themethod specified in CEN 1650 with a contact time of 15 min, aconcentration of 1.0%, a water hardness of 30°fH and an organic load of0.3% albumin. The logarithm to base ten of the reduction inmicroorganism count was >4.4.

EXAMPLES 4-19

Aqueous solutions were prepared from 0.5% alkanolamine (II) and 0.25% ofamine or quaternary ammonium salt (Ia/Ib) and tested using the methodspecified in CEN 1275. The results are summarized in Table 1 below.

TABLE I log₁₀ Example microbial No. Amine/ammonium salt Alkanolaminereduction 4 dimethyldioctyl- monoethanolamine 4.3 ammonium chloride 5dimethyldioctyl- diethanolamine 4.0 ammonium chloride 6 dimethyldioctyl-triethanolamine 3.6 ammonium chloride 7 dimethyldioctyl- 3-amino- 4.2ammonium chloride 1-propanol 8 didecyldimethyl- monoethanolamine 4.0ammonium chloride 9 didecyldimethyl- diethanolamine 3.8 ammoniumchloride 10 didecyldimethyl- triethanolamine 3.1 ammonium chloride 11didecyldimethyl- 3-amino- 4.0 ammonium chloride 1-propanol 12di-C_(8–10)-alkyldimethyl- monoethanolamine 3.9 ammonium chloride(60%)/C_(12–16)-alkyl- benzyldimethylammonium chloride (40%); Bardac ®205-M 13 di-C_(8–10)-alkyldimethyl- diethanolamine 3.2 ammonium chloride(60%)/C_(12–16)-alkyl- benzyldimethylammonium chloride (40%); Bardac ®205-M 14 di-C_(8–10)-alkyldimethyl- triethanolamine 2.8 ammoniumchloride (60%)/C_(12–16)-alkyl- benzyldimethylammonium chloride (40%);Bardac ® 205-M 15 di-C_(8–10)-alkyldimethyl- 3-amino- 3.8 ammoniumchloride 1-propanol (60%)/C_(12–16)-alkyl- benzyldimethylammoniumchloride (40%); Bardac ® 205-M 16 N,N-bis(3-amino- monoethanolamine 2.9propyl)dodecylamine 17 N,N-bis(3-amino- diethanolamine 2.7propyl)dodecylamine 18 N,N-bis(3-amino- triethanolamine 2.4propyl)dodecylamine 19 N,N-bis(3-amino- 3-amino- 2.8 propyl)dodecylamine1-propanol

For comparison, all compounds listed in Table 1 were tested asindividual substances in 0.5% strength solution. None of thesescompounds exhibited pronounced fungicidal activity (log₁₀ microbialreduction <2).

EXAMPLE 20

A disinfectant formulation (concentrate) was produced from:

-   -   9.9% didecyidimethylammonium chloride (70% strength solution)    -   8.0% monoethanolamine    -   5.0% Genapol® T250 (tallow fatty alcohol polyglycol ether, 25        mol of ethylene oxide)    -   5.0% potassium carbonate (anhydrous)    -   6.0% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt (Trilon®B;        40% strength solution)        -   water to 100%

EXAMPLE 21

The concentrate described in Example 20 was tested in 6% strengthdilution in the suspension test using an exposure time of 30, 60 and 120minutes for effectiveness against poliovirus type 1 (Mahoney strain).

Test Method:

The test was performed in accordance with the “Richtlinie desBundesgesundheitsamtes und der Deutschen Vereinigung zur Bekämpfung derViruskrankheiten zur Prüfung von chemischen Desinfektionsmitteln aufWirksamkeit gegen Viren” [Guideline of the German Federal Health Agencyand the German Association for Controlling Viral Diseases for testingchemical disinfectants for effectiveness against viruses](Bundesgesundheitsbl. 1982, 25, 397). The growth medium for the Verocell cultures was “Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium”, to which 10%foetal calf serum and 10 U/ml of penicillin and also 10 μg/ml ofstreptomycin had been added. After the tissue culture was inoculatedwith poliovirus the tissue culture medium only contained 3% foetal calfserum. After virtually complete detachment of polio-infected cells, thevirus suspension was purified by centrifuging of cells and cellconstituents (3000×g, 15 min). Since the cell culture medium contained3% foetal calf serum, in the disinfectant test also, a small proteinload was also present in the test batches using twice-distilled water.

For the disinfectant test, 1 part of virus suspension was mixed with 8parts of a 7.5% strength dilution of the disinfection concentrate(corresponding to a final concentration of 6%) and in each case 1 partof twice-distilled water or 2% strength serum albumin or foetal calfserum and was incubated for 30, 60 and 120 min at 20° C. The activity ofthe disinfectant was then stopped by 100-fold dilution with cold mediumcontaining no foetal calf serum. In each case 2 wells of multiwellplates containing 6 recesses (Becton Dickinson Labware, Lincoln Park,N.J., Type Falcon™ 353046) which contained a dense lawn of Vero cells,were inoculated with 1 ml in each case of this dilution (correspondingto a dilution of the virus suspension to 10⁻³) and further serial10-fold dilutions. After 1 h of adsorption time at room temperature, thesupernatant liquid was drawn off. The cell lawns of the wells were thencoated with 2 ml of 2% strength agarose (Serva high EEO, Cat. No. 11397)liquefied by boiling, which had been mixed with twice-concentratedmedium containing 5% strength foetal calf serum in a ratio of 1:1, andhad been cooled to 40° C. in a waterbath. After solidification of theagarose at room temperature, the plates were incubated for 2 days at 37°C. in a CO₂ incubation cabinet.

The infectivity of the virus suspension was tested in the plaque test.In this test each area of destroyed cells corresponds to one infectiousunit of poliovirus. The number of plaques thus indicates the number ofinfectious virus particles present in a defined dilution of the testbatch. The plaques are visualized by staining 1.0 ml in each case of asolution of 0.1% Brilliant Blue R (Sigma, Cat. No. B0149) for 30 min inan aqueous solution containing 20% methanol and 5% acetic acid. Theunstained plaques are then clearly differentiated from blue-colouredcell lawns. A mean plaque count is calculated from two batches in eachcase of a dilution.

“Virus controls”, in which the starting concentration of the virus wasdetermined, were batches in which the disinfectant had been replaced bythe same volume of twice-distilled water. The virus concentration thusdetermined served as reference for calculating the virus-inactivatingaction of the disinfectant tested. “Toxicity controls” for detecting anydamage of the tissue culture cell by the disinfectant were batches inwhich the virus suspension had been replaced by the same volume oftwice-distilled water. These batches were diluted in a ratio of 1:100and 1:1000 (equivalent to a dilution of the virus suspension of 10⁻³ and10⁻⁴ in the disinfectant test batch) with medium without foetal calfserum. Then they were added to the tissue culture, as with the batchesfor testing the disinfectant action, for 1 h and then drawn off. Afterincubation for 2 days at 37° C., staining was used to test whether thecell lawn had been damaged by the disinfectant.

As an indication of the resistance of the test virus and forcomparability with other studies, a “formaldehyde control” was carriedout. For this, 1 part of the virus suspension was mixed with 4 parts ofphosphate-buffered saline (0.1 M; pH 7; “Dulbecco's PBS”) and the entirevolume was added to a formalin solution containing 1.4 g of formaldehydein 100 ml of solution (final concentration: 0.79 of HCHO/100 ml). After5, 15 and 60 min of exposure time, the action of formaldehyde wasstopped, as with the disinfectant test, by diluting to 1:100 and theremaining infectivity of the poliovirus was determined in the plaquetest in further serial ten-fold dilutions.

Results:

Control Experiments:

The “virus control”, in the batch with twice-distilled water, gave avirus concentration of 1.6·10⁸ infectious units/ml, in the batchcontaining serum albumin, 1.2·10⁸ infectious units/ml, and in the batchcontaining foetal calf serum 1.0·10⁸ infectious units/ml. The “toxicitycontrol”, after dilution of the test batch to 1:100 (equivalent to adilution of the virus suspension of 10⁻³) showed slight damage of thecell lawn. At a dilution of 1:1000, toxicity was no longer observable.Thus under the test conditions, a decrease in virus concentration underthe action of disinfectant can be followed to a virus concentration of5·10³ infectious units/ml in the virus suspension (in both wells of thedilution 10⁻⁴, plaque is then no longer visible) and at a startingconcentration of at least 10⁸ infectious virus particles/ml, a decreasein virus concentration over at least 4.5 powers of ten is observable.Since the test guideline for detecting the effectiveness of adisinfectant only requires a decrease in virus concentration by at least4 powers of ten, compliance with this condition can be detected usingthe experimental batch chosen. In the batch containing 0.7% strengthformaldehyde, after an exposure time of 5 min, a virus concentration of1.05·10⁶/ml was measured, after 15 min 1·10³/ml, and after 60min≦5·10²/ml. These are expected values which confirm the results ofearlier experiments: 0.7% strength formalin is usually able to reducethe concentration of poliovirus by more than 4 powers of ten within 30min.

Effectiveness of the Disinfectants Against Poliovirus:

After 30, 60 and 120 min exposure times of 6% strength dilution of thedisinfectant composition from Example 20, in the batch containing foetalcalf serum at the virus dilution 10⁴, in each of the two test wellsplaque was no longer observed. Thus after the disinfectant treatment, avirus concentration of ≦5·10³ infectious units/ml was present. Thisresult was found not only with low protein load (batch withtwice-distilled water), but also with medium (batch containing 2%strength serum albumin) and high protein load (batch containing foetalcalf serum). Thus, compared with the control determination withoutdisinfectant, there was a decrease in virus concentration by at least4.5 log₁₀ or powers of ten.

Thus the condition for effectiveness for registration as instrumentdisinfectant in the Federal Republic of Germany is fulfilled.

EXAMPLE 22

Effectiveness Against ECBO Viruses:

The concentrate described in Example 20 was tested in accordance withthe guideline of the (German) Federal Health Agency and the DeutscheVereinigung zur Bekäimpfung der Viruskrankheiten e.V. for testingchemical disinfectants for effectiveness against viruses(Bundesgesundheitsbl. 1982, 25, 397-398; comment: Bundesgesundheitsbl.1983, 26, 413414) in a quantitative suspension test for its virucidalprcperties against the ECBO virus strain LCR4. Tests were made ofdilutions of 1.0%, 3.0% and 5.0% of the concentrate in twice-distilledwater with exposure times of 15, 30, 60 and 120 min.

The test temperature was 20±1° C., and the protein load used was foetalcalf serum (FCS) or serum albumin (bovine serum albumin, BSA).

To prepare the virus suspension, foetal calf lung cells (FCL 107) inRoux flasks containing minimum essential medium (MEM, Eagle) wereinfected with approximately 10 PFU (plaque forming units) of the virus(obtained by Dr W. Herbst, Institute for Hygiene and Infectious AnimalDiseases at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen) per cell and afterappearance of the cytopathic effect (approximately 12 h), was subjectedto three-fold freezing/thawing operation. There followed centrifugationat 770×g for 10 min which provided the virus suspension as supernatant.

To prepare the inactivation batches, 8 parts by volume of thedisinfectant in the desired 1.25-fold concentration were mixed withvirus suspension and twice-distilled water (1 part by volume each). Inthe experiments with protein load, instead of the twice-distilled water,one part by volume of FCS (Flow Laboratories) or 2% strength BSAsolution (Behringwerke A G) were used.

The inactivation experiments were carried out in closed glass tubes.After the appropriate times, samples were withdrawn to determine theremaining infectivity.

The infectivity was determined using end-dilution titration in the micromethod. For this the samples, immediately after they were taken, werediluted with minimum essential medium (MEM), with integral powers of tenbeing chosen as dilution factors. In each case 100 μl of a dilutes amplewere transferred to 8 basins of a sterile polystyrene plate with a flatbottom. Then, in each case 100 μl of a freshly trypsinized suspension ofKOP-R cells (cattle oesopharyngeal tissue, obtained from Dr R. Riebe,Bundesforschungsanstalt für Viruskrankheiten der Tiere auf der InselRiems, Catalogue No. RIE 244) were added. This suspension was adjustedso that in each basin there were approximately 10−15×10³ cells.Thereafter the samples were incubated at 37° C. in a CO₂ incubationcabinet (5% by volume CO₂). After 5 to 7 days, the infectious dose(ID₅₀/ml) was determined by the method of Spearmann-Kärber.

The virucidal activity was determined by calculating the decrease intitre compared with the respective control titrations carried out inparallel (after the longest exposure time). The difference was reportedas Δlog₁₀ ID₅₀.

To determine the cytotoxicity of the disinfectant, 2 parts by volume ofPBS (phosphate buffered saline) were mixed with 8 parts by volume of thedisinfectant dilution (1.25-fold concentration), diluted correspondinglyand applied to the cell cultures. The cytotoxic dose was reported aslog₁₀ CD₅₀/ml (by analogy with the ID₅₀ value).

The results of the inactivation tests are summarized in Table 2hereinafter, and those of the cytotoxicity determination in Table 3.

TABLE 2 Decrease in infection titre Virus content (Δlog₁₀ID₅₀) Concen-(control) Protein after tration (log₁₀ID₅₀/ml) load 15 min 30 min 60 min120 min 1.0% 6.85 — 1.25 1.25 1.64 n.d. 1.0% 7.05  0.2% 1.00 1.25 1.34n.d. BSA 1.0% 7.15 10.0% 1.00 1.15 1.25 n.d. FCS 3.0% 7.65 — ≧4.15 ≧4.15≧4.15 ≧4.15 3.0% 7.75  0.2% 3.45 ≧4.25 ≧4.25 ≧4.25 BSA 3.00%  7.65 10.0%2.17 3.45 ≧4.15 ≧4.15 FCS 5.0% 7.65 — ≧4.15 ≧4.15 ≧4.15 ≧4.15 5.0% 7.75 0.2% 4.05 ≧4.25 ≧4.25 ≧4.25 BSA 5.0% 7.65 10.0% 3.15 ≧4.15 ≧4.15 ≧4.15FCS n.d. = not determined

TABLE 3 Dilution step Concentration 10⁻¹ 10⁻² 10⁻³ 10⁻⁴ 10⁻⁵ 1.0% + − −− − 3.0% + + − − − 5.0% + + − − −

The results show that the test composition (concentrate), at a usageconcentration of 3.0%, after an exposure time of 60 min and at 5.0%after 30 min has the effectiveness defined in the guideline(Δlog₁₀ID₅₀≧4.0; equivalent to an inactivation of ≧99.99%) towards ECBOviruses.

EXAMPLE 23

Effectiveness Against Canine Parvovirus:

Dilutions of the concentrate described in Example 20 were tested fortheir effectiveness against canine parvovirus type 2 (obtained from DrParrish, Cornell University) in NLFK cells (Norden Lab Feline Kidney) at22° C. and an exposure time of 10 min.

Dilutions in a ratio of 1:35 in demineralized or hard (400 ppm AOAC hardwater) water containing 5% organic load (foetal calf serum) showedadequate virucidal effectiveness.

1. A process of utilizing a disinfectant composition consisting of: a)an amine and/or quaternary ammonium salt of the general formula:

where R¹ is C₆₋₁₈-alkyl, R² is benzyl or C₆₋₁₈-alkyl, R³ is C₁₋₁₈-alkylor —[(CH₂)₂—O]_(n)R⁶ where n=1-20, R⁴ and R⁵ independently of oneanother are C₁₋₄-alkyl, R⁶ is hydrogen or unsubstituted or substitutedphenyl, and A⁻ is a monovalent anion or one equivalent of a polyvalentanion of an inorganic or organic acid; b) at least one alkanolamine ofthe general formula:

where n and, if present, m and O independently of one another have thevalue 2 or 3, and x and y independently of one another have the value 0or 1, or a corresponding salt; in the mass ratio a):b) of 20:1 to 1:20;and c) water, as solvent.
 2. The process according to claim 1, whereinthe amine or quaternary:ammonium salt is selected from the groupconsisting of N,N-bis-(3-aminopropyl)dodecylamine,N,N-bis(3-aminopropyl)octylamine, didecyldimethylammonium salts,dioctyldimethylammonium salts, octyldecyldimethylammonium salts,cocoalkyldimethylbenzylammonium salts and benzyldimethyloxoethylammoniumsalts and mixtures of these compounds.
 3. The process according to claim1, wherein the alkanolamine b) is selected from the group consisting ofmonoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine and3-amino-1-propanol.
 4. The process according to claim 1, wherein themass ratio a):b) is between 1:5 and 5:1.
 5. A process according to claim1, wherein the virucidal agent of claim 1 is utilized for surfacedisinfection and instrument disinfection.
 6. A process according toclaim 1, wherein the virucidal agent of claim 1 is utilized for laundrydisinfection.
 7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the virucidalagent of claim 1 is utilized for hand disinfection.
 8. A processaccording to claim 1, wherein the virucidal agent of claim 1 is utilizedfor chemical toilets.
 9. A process wherein the virucidal agent of claim1 is utilized against parvoviruses, picornaviruses or polioviruses. 10.The process according to claim 2, wherein the alkanolamine b) isselected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine,triethanolamine and 3-amino-1-propanol.
 11. The process according toclaim 2, wherein the mass ratio a):b) is between 1:5 and 5:1.
 12. Theprocess according to claim 3, wherein the mass ratio a):b) is between1:5 and 5:1.
 13. The process according to claim 10, wherein the massratio a):b) is between 1:5 wad 5:1.
 14. A process wherein the virucidalagent according to claim 2 is utilized for surface disinfection andinstrument disinfection.
 15. A process wherein the virucidal agentaccording to claim 2 is utilized for laundry disinfection.
 16. A processwherein the virucidal agent according to claim 2 is utilized for handdisinfection.
 17. A process wherein the virucidal agent according toclaim 2 is utilized for chemical toilets.
 18. A process wherein thevirucidal agent according to claim 2 is utilized against parvoviruses,picornaviruses or polioviruses.
 19. A process consisting of utilizing adisinfectant composition consisting of: a) an amine and/or quaternaryammonium salt of the general formula:

where R¹ is C₆₋₁₈-alkyl, R² is benzyl or C₆₋₁₈-alkyl, R³ is C₁₋₁₈-alkylor —[(CH₂)₂—O]_(n)R⁶ where n=1-20, R⁴ and R⁵ independently of oneanother are C₁₋₄-alkyl, R⁶ is hydrogen or unsubstituted or substitutedphenyl, and A⁻ is a monovalent anion or one equivalent of a polyvalentanion of an inorganic or organic acid; at least one alkanolamine of thegeneral formula:

where n and, if present, m and o independently of one another have thevalue 2 or 3, and x and y independently of one another have the value 0or 1, or a corresponding salt; in the mass ratio a):b) of 20:1 to 1:20;c) water; as solvent; and d) one or more auxiliaries selected from thegroup consisting of organic solvents, surfactants, complexing agents,fragrances and colorants.
 20. A process utilizing a disinfectantcomposition consisting of: a) an amine and/or quaternary ammonium saltof the general formula:

where R¹ is C₆₋₄₈-alkyl, R² is benzyl or C₆₋₁₈-alkyl, R³ is C₁₋₁₈-alkylor —[(CH₂)₂—O]_(n)R⁶ where n=1-20, R⁴ and R⁵ independently of oneanother are C₁₋₄-alkyl, R⁶ is hydrogen or unsubstituted or substitutedphenyl, and A⁻ is a monovalent anion or one equivalent of a polyvalentanion of an inorganic or organic acid; b) at least one alkanolamine ofthe general formula:

where n and, if present, m and o independently of one another have thevalue 2 or 3, and x and y independently of one another have the value 0or 1, or a corresponding salt; in the mass ratio a):b) of 20:1 to 1:20;c) water, as solvent; and d) one or more auxiliaries selected from thegroup consisting of organic solvents, surfactants, complexing agents,fragrances and colorants.